On this page
- What competitor keyword research can tell you
- 1. Compare products that solve the same problem
- 2. Validate ideas in Amazon Brand Analytics
- 3. Build a worksheet before changing the listing
- 4. Apply relevant terms within Amazon’s rules
- 5. Test ads using your own results
- Use RankWell for the content around your products
- Common questions
To find competitor keywords on Amazon, compare relevant product listings, validate candidate terms in Amazon Brand Analytics when you have access, and test them against your own advertising reports. A phrase appearing in another listing is a research lead. It does not reveal that seller’s complete keyword strategy, ad budget, or profit.
The useful question is: which words describe your product accurately and help a shopper choose it? Start there, then keep a record of where each keyword came from and what evidence supports using it.
What competitor keyword research can tell you
Similar products can reveal how sellers describe materials, sizes, use cases, compatibility, and common customer questions. That gives you a vocabulary to investigate. It does not prove that every phrase drives traffic or that your product will perform the same way.
Keep three types of evidence separate:
- Observed wording: a phrase in a public title, bullet, description, or review.
- Reported Amazon activity: a metric in an Amazon report, with its marketplace, period, and scope recorded.
- Your test result: the outcome of a listing change or an ad target in your own account.
A reverse-ASIN result, if you already use one, belongs in your research notes with its source and methodology. An ASIN is a product identifier; entering one into a research tool does not itself grant access to the seller’s private campaign settings. Check how any reported volumes or rankings were obtained before treating them as measured facts.
1. Compare products that solve the same problem
Search Amazon using a plain description of your product. Choose a manageable set of genuinely comparable listings. A baking mat and a disposable baking sheet may compete for a shopper’s attention, but their attributes and suitable keywords differ.
- Record the marketplace, date, ASIN, and product type.
- Read the title and bullets for specific attributes and uses.
- Note questions or recurring limitations that your own product can address truthfully.
- Separate sponsored placements from other results in your notes.
- Remove phrases that imply a material, certification, size, or compatibility your product does not have.
Write an original description from your own product specifications. Copying another seller’s wording also copies their assumptions, which may be wrong for your item.
2. Validate ideas in Amazon Brand Analytics
Amazon says Brand Analytics requires a Professional selling account and a Brand Representative role for a brand enrolled in Brand Registry. Access it through Brands, then Brand Analytics in Seller Central. Amazon’s current overview explains eligibility and the available dashboards.
- Top Search Terms: investigate broader search activity and the associated leading products, categories, and brands.
- Search Query Performance: review queries related to your brand alongside query volume and stages such as impressions, clicks, cart adds, and purchases.
- Search Catalog Performance: inspect product-level search funnel activity to identify where shoppers drop off.
Save the report period and marketplace with your findings. A broad market report and your brand’s query report answer different questions; neither should be presented as a complete export of another seller’s campaigns.
If your account is not eligible, use listing observations and your own available reporting. Label an unmeasured keyword as a candidate rather than inventing a search-volume figure.
3. Build a worksheet before changing the listing
The example below is illustrative, not actual Amazon performance data. Suppose you sell a reusable silicone baking mat and have verified its dimensions and care instructions.
| Candidate phrase | Evidence to check | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| silicone baking mat | Actual material and product type | Consider for the main description |
| reusable baking liner | Supported use and care instructions | Consider as an additional descriptive phrase |
| half sheet baking mat | Exact measurements and fit | Use only if the dimensions support it |
| competitor brand baking mat | Another brand’s name | Exclude from generic backend search terms |
| oven safe to a specific temperature | Manufacturer documentation | Hold until the claim is verified |
Swipe the table to see all columns.
Add columns for the source URL, report date, proposed placement, and owner. This makes the next review a decision based on evidence rather than another round of guessing.
4. Apply relevant terms within Amazon’s rules
Use customer-facing copy to explain what the product is, who it suits, and which features matter. Follow the current title and category requirements in your account. A longer keyword list is not a reason to turn a readable sentence into repeated fragments.
For generic backend search terms, Amazon’s guidance excludes your brand and other brand names. Review its official search-term guidance and search-term requirements before saving the field. Follow the limit shown for your marketplace and product type.
This distinction matters: studying a competing product is a research activity. It does not make that competitor’s brand name an appropriate generic listing keyword.
5. Test ads using your own results
Amazon Sponsored Products supports automatic targeting and manual keyword or product targeting. Product targeting can focus on relevant products or categories; keyword targeting addresses search language. Use Amazon’s targeting guide to choose the appropriate setup.
Your own search-term report can inform which queries to investigate, promote into deliberate targets, or exclude. Amazon describes this process in its keyword strategy guide. Review clicks, spend, attributed sales, and the report’s attribution period before making changes.
Set a test budget you can afford and a review date. Evaluate the outcome against your margin, not just the number of clicks. Record other changes such as price, stock availability, or imagery that could explain the result. A competitor’s visible ad is not evidence of that seller’s budget or profitability.
Use RankWell for the content around your products
Amazon reporting should supply the Amazon-specific evidence. In the current BrandWell portal, use RankWell to research and develop content for your own website: buying guides, care instructions, product comparisons based on verified specifications, and answers to customer questions.
- Choose an on-site article topic from a recurring customer question.
- Use RankWell’s keyword research to investigate the website search opportunity.
- Prepare a brief with your product facts, approved claims, and supporting sources.
- Review the draft, add your own product images or demonstrations, and link readers to the relevant product page.
- Track website search performance separately from Amazon listing and advertising results.
Website keyword metrics should not be relabeled as Amazon search volumes. RankWell’s content workflow supports your owned website; make Amazon listing and campaign changes in the appropriate Amazon account.
Common questions
Can I see every keyword a competitor bids on?
Public listings and visible ads do not provide a complete private campaign export. Treat externally inferred keyword lists as research candidates, then validate their relevance and your own results.
Can I put another brand in my backend keywords?
Amazon’s generic search-term guidance excludes brand names. Use accurate product attributes and relevant descriptive language instead.
Does using a competitor’s keyword guarantee more sales?
No. Product fit, offer, availability, creative, and the shopper’s needs still matter. Research gives you a testable idea, and your own reporting tells you what happened.
Are platinum keywords part of this workflow?
Use the current fields and instructions in Seller Central. Our updated platinum keywords guide explains why old field advice should not drive your present listing process.
Reviewed and updated October 2, 2026.
Written by
Julia McCoy has contributed articles to BrandWell on content marketing, writing, and search engine optimization. This archive retains her original bylines; individual articles may be updated by the BrandWell editorial team.
